Captain Eroll on ROX STAR.

What inspired you to become a captain?

A career on the sea was a natural step for me, as I grew up sailing with my family out of Bodrum, Turkey. I was 23 years old when my family built a yacht to take charter guests, and that was my first job. I have grown up in this profession and I love it.

Tell us about ROX STAR. What makes her special?

She is my favourite yacht. She is amazing to sail, and everywhere we go, others love her too. I always get asked, ‘where was she built – who designed her?’ I think it is because she looks so distinctive. She doesn’t look like a Perini Navi yacht, or like a classic yacht, she is totally different.

Her first owners were husband and wife, an architect and interior designer. They designed every detail of her living spaces. That eye for detail even went as far as carefully choosing the colours of the ropes used for the sails.

What sets her apart from other sailing yachts?

She has a huge sail area, over 700sqm (2,300sqft) of canvas, and she snakes through the water. The sails also make her very stable. Guests love to take the helm and feel her power through the wheel and under their feet. Of course, there is so much to learn and do on a yacht like this, so the whole family can enjoy the adventure.

What do families enjoy on a ROX STAR charter?

The crew are excellent with children – in particular, our engineer and first mate – and they know how to keep the children interested and learning new skills when we are sailing, which means that parents can relax too. The children love to be involved with the crew, and we are delighted when we see the excitement in their faces as they experience sailing ROX STAR.

Charterers like to come with me to the cockpit when we are sailing, so they can join in on the action. When the sails come down, guests like to sunbathe on the sunpads, or sit in the outdoor dining area under the shade canopy.

Then at anchor, we drop the 5.5m (18ft) tender from the davits, for trips ashore and water-skiing. We also have a swim platform astern, and a ladder to get in and out the water. Plus, SeaBobs to zoom about under the surface, fishing gear and kayaks… There is so much to do.

What about the bedrooms and inside space?

The shape of the coach house gives you a very good-sized lounge, with comfy sofas and chairs and even a sit-up bar. There is a skylight which floods in natural light, it’s a really nice feature.

In the master cabin, there is another skylight over the bed which lets you look up at the moon and stars. You have a remote control for the electric curtains, so you can shut them from your bed.

All the cabins and bathrooms have lots of space and luxurious facilities. This is all part of the original owner’s meticulous design…

How do you create a charter to suit your guests?

It is about knowing who they are and what they are looking forward to doing. The Mediterranean is a wonderful playground, and we can find them the best restaurants, archaeological sites, and nightclubs.

If our guests want to host friends on board, we can have a quayside event for up to 50 people. This is because of the foredeck design, which allows us to clear the deck completely and create a wide space for people to gather. It is a lot of fun for our charterers to invite friends to join them for an evening.

Working together with Burgess charter managers and brokers, we create a bespoke itinerary for each charter group. Careful planning is the key to making each charter work smoothly.

You know the Turkish coast very well…

I know this coast intimately, and the sailing conditions here. Now, a couple of decades on, I can say the same for France, Italy, Greece, Croatia – all of the Mediterranean.

It is essential knowledge for building an itinerary to suit our guests. We want to take them to the best places and give them the best charter holiday.

Where is ROX STAR going to be sailing next?

We are currently in Turkey, so we will be sailing from here to pick up guests in Italy and then on to Greece. I love sailing around Amalfi and Positano, and then there’s a beach in Corsica that I like to take guests to – it is isolated from the tourist trail and has no houses or hotels, just a big beach with one restaurant run by local people, it is very nice, and it’s my secret for my charter guests!

To find out more about Burgess’ yachts for sale and yachts for charter, please contact a Burgess broker. Alternatively, get in touch with one of our offices directly: London, Monaco, New York, Miami, Singapore or all other locations.